The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-04-25
AN OLD NEW YORK DETECTIVE.
Experiences Of Thirty-Seven Years in
the Service.


the Service.
New YORK, April pa man of about
the medium height, 62 or SO years of age,
with fat nose, in derby hat and very
plainly dressed, is one of the figures daily
seen entering the sub Treasury, the stately
building with Doric pillars in Wall street
on the site of the old hall in which Wash
ingtOn, in brown small clothes, white stock
ings and silver-buckled shoes, took the oath
of Office as the first President of the United
States. The plain old man who attracts so
little attention in the busy throng of Wall
street and who sits quiet as stone i'll the
tomb-like treasure house has had
an eventful life. 1t is Capt Thomas
! Sampson, the sub-Treasury detective,
His present position is almost a
sinecure, though he looks carefully after
whatever duties devolve upon him. He
made a name for himself as far back as the
days Of Alderman Jacob Hayes the first
Sheriff of New York, or High Constable as
the Office was then called. This was in the
period extending from about 1880 to 1915.
| Hayes was the first officer i'll New York to
go about detecting crime systematically,
using his experience as a Sheriff and his per-
| sOnal acquaintance with criminals. He died
about 1880, and then Thomas Sampson be-
came the famous detective of New York.
In 1854 the celebrated pugilist and ruff
| fan, Bill Poole, was killed. Poole
was an American and the champion of the
| American roughs of the city, as John
Morrisey was the leader of similar gang
of lrishmen Both political parties protect
ed these ruffians because of the service
which they performed on election day
They were the plug uglieS' of old New
York, disgrace TO the city and the terror
of respectable citizens. When not gouglng
out eyes, biting off noses and ears, or engag-
ed in rough and tumble encounters or prize
fights, they We're carousing in the low
saloons of the day. Bill Poole had fought
prize fights but had won no particular dis
tinction in this direction. He was tall and
powerfully built and he was better
adapted for rough and tumble en-
counters He was bold and aggressive, and
the feud between the Americans and the
Irish became so bitter that some of Morrisey'S
heelers determined to murder him Poole
was generally accompanied in his travels
around the city by crowd of his followers
but one day, late in 1854, he happened to be
nearly or quite alone on one of the North
River PIERS and some of Morrisey's men
picked a quarrel with him and inflicted a
fatal wound. He died few days later, say
ing: Il die a true American Now came
an opportunity for Detective Sampson to
further distinguish himself. The gang that
had attacked Poole concealed themselves
uIlUlI Il NeSoel COulu DE C1aTUCIGu 10 Jake UIell
to the Madeira Islands Sampson, by some
mysterious means, learned their flight
and their destination and the Mayor there
upon sent fast vessel in pursuit which
overlook the other craft about leo miles
out. Capt. Sampson, who was on the pur-
suing vessel, arrested Lewis Baker, an actor,
as the principal assailant, and brought him
back to New York. He was tried, but it
was impossible to prove that he committed
the murder and OILY ap-
quilted of this charge, but was sent to
prison as an accOmplice. After his re
lease Baker became quite prominent
as tragedian. Mr. SIMPSONS repu-
tatiOn steadily increased until about 1860,
when he resigned from the police force, hav-
ing been engaged by New York bankers at
a salary of 5000 year to protect their in
terests in Wall street He has recovered
millions of dollars worth of stolen securities
for financial Institutions lie arrested
| Edgar Gray, the forger. He went twice to
| London to secure this remarkable criminal,
| whose talents would have won him perhaps
a fortune of millions if he could have de-
voted himself to some honorable business.
Few men have received more testimonials
| of confidence and esteem than this large
| hearted old detective, who might have been
| wealthy to-day if he had not been over-lib-
| eral in his benefactions TO the needy. He
| has more than two dozen watches presented
| to him by bankers and enough gold and sill
| Yer plate to set up a small iewelry store
| For some years he has been in the service of
| the United States government. He arrested
John Surratt, charged with completely in
the murder of President Lincoln. Surratt
was just entering his mothers house in
| Washington dressed as a workingman, with
a pickax over his shoulder Seen on the
| street the veteran detective might be taken
| for an old clerk in mercantile house.
OSCAR WILLOUGHBY RIGGS.